Life for brutal murder of wife

The 33-year-old Free State man who stabbed his wife to death has been sentenced to life behind bars.

She had a protection order against him at the time, said the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). It was granted in 2022.

Mokhereke Mozangwa was sentenced in the Free State High Court sitting in Welkom.

NPA spokesperson Mojalefa Senokoatsane said in August 2023, Mozangwa, who lived on a farm near Bultfontein, found his wife, Mating Sinah Lebolonyana at their home looking after their two minor children.

Mozangwa, who was abusive towards his wife, started an argument with her.

“During the altercation, the accused broke a beer bottle and started to stab his wife with it. He then took a knife and continued to stab the wife several times wherever he could.

“Even when she fell, he continued to attack the helpless wife in the presence of their minor children,” Senokoatsane said.

Mozangwa was arrested at the scene and had been in custody since then.

Senokoatsane said senior state advocate Dansi Mpemvane argued for Mozangwa to be sentenced to life imprisonment.

“...as the court had a fundamental duty of sending a clear message to other perpetrators of GBVF (gender-based violence and femicide) crimes. Femicide cases have become a pandemic destroying the core fabric of society, leaving children to grow up without parents,” Senokoatsane said.

He said Mpemvane also argued that the accused had shown no remorse after killing his wife by stabbing her more than 18 times.

Senokoatsane said the accused had little respect for the law because he abused his wife even when there was a protection order.

“The court also heard how the accused had previously stabbed his wife on a few occasions before and how she had opened criminal cases and later withdrew them.

“In building the state’s case a postmortem report was presented to the court, which indicated that the victim had sustained injuries all over her body with over 18 stab wounds,” Senokoatsane said.